All Shall Bow Before Him
by goddammitmatsuda
Summary: "All hail King Kira!" the streets echo with the sounds of the villagers. King Kira's power is absolute, cold, and sometimes frightening. But is this what he truly wants his life to be? And what happens when he meets a quirky commoner with intelligence to match his own? Things are starting to get interesting again... (Rated M for violence and later LightxL. AU!
1. Chapter 1: Beginnings

_AN: Hello there!  
This is just an introduction, more like a test run, to see whether or not this plot would be interesting enough to anyone. This is my first official fanfiction, so my apologies if there are mistakes in character and/or plot if I continue with this. I am going to try to maintain the flow of this story as best as I can. I'm sorry it is so short for a first chapter, once again. If you would really want to read the rest of this, please review. _

_Thanks!_

_~A_

* * *

"All hail King Kira!"

The crowds of commoners bellow as their King, their _savior_, trots down the small village on top of his ebony colt surrounded by personal guards in polished metallic armor. The King knows his people well, and he smirks to himself.

"Halt!"

Immediately the guards, his noble steed, and the villagers stop all chatter and movement to turn their attention towards the auburn haired man they knew as their King.

"I would like to personally thank the citizens for keeping peace in our vast land, and working hard as to continue this dream we all share," he continued on with a faraway look in his honey eyes.

"This common idea amongst us has kept us together, and without the people, this idea would mean nothing; a place free from evil and crime would mean nothing without these great people." The King waved his hand at the crowd before him, making sure to look all of them in the eyes.

"This magic that has been thrust upon me by God himself has truly made this kingdom of my father's a better place. I am honored everyday to be the chosen one for this project of justice, and I promise to continue to keep this peace we all share. Once again, thank you." All was silent as the King praised them once again for their efforts.

"All hail King Kira! All hail King Kira!" one citizen suddenly cried. Soon all the others joined in his chant over and over again, hoping to please their leader even more. The King smiled once again, and with a gesture, the King and his men were off down the dirt path.

As the crowd cheered at his exit, one particular man in the commotion stood silent. He did not cheer; he did not make any signs of praise or joy towards his King. He instead turned his head down towards his pale bare feet, in his own world. In his world, things would not be this way. In his world, the people wouldn't be as brainwashed as they were now.

In his world, there would be no King Kira.

The man held a bony finger up to his chapped lips, and slinked out of the crowd going unnoticed.

_One day I'll know your secret, "King Kira."_ _Just wait._

_AN: Oh man guys! I'm so nervous I'm going to screw this up! Please review review REVIEW! _


	2. Chapter 2: Light

_AN: Yay for character development! Well, I believe I am going to try to actually finish this story. It would be very refreshing for me. I do like this plot, but you know, easier said than done, right? Chapters should be getting longer as the story progresses, I hope. Well, enjoy this for now!  
~A_

* * *

The King was exhausted.

After riding through the villages from sunrise to sunset, his majesty immediately stumbled onto his throne at the end of his elegant main ballroom, decorated with satin fuchsia curtains and marble tiles . To both sides of the main ballroom, there were doors leading to a dining hall, a bar, and other sources of entertainment to the King's liking for events such as parties. All was decorated in a dark blood colored tone, with some blue to offset its color. King Kira never seemed to tire of the blush red embellishment. But no one questioned it.

His escorts followed quickly behind him, slowly filling into the hall and patiently awaited the next order. There was an awkward silence.

"Hmm, I _am_ feeling a bit thirsty…"sounded King Kira's voice, breaking the calm.

As if on cue, a young woman quickly came from the dining area with a silver tray carrying a pitcher and glass. Her blonde ponytails bounced as she hurried nervously towards his throne.

"H-Here you go your majesty!"

"Ah, water."

He took the pitcher and poured himself a glass, then tipped it back until the water was all gone. After a moment, he set the glass back down on the tray still being held by his main maid and housekeeper and shooed her away without a thank you.

"I need time to myself, everyone out -_now_."

At the sound of his strong voice, all that accompanied him in the ballroom scattered out of the castle while his other servants who had come out to greet him hurried up a large staircase to busy themselves with other chores.

It was only then King Kira was able to be Light.

Just Light Yagami, not the King that everyone in his castle feared, knowing he had a strange power that enabled him to kill anyone he wished. Although he mainly killed petty criminals and a majority of the citizens were fine with that, all everyone knew was that as soon as someone would speak out against his ruling, they would either be found dead or at least missing the next day, never to be seen again. The people were not very educated, so it was not like anyone could simply deduce what was occurring. There were some individuals who truly thought what he was doing was right, but many others were too frightened to act on any way other than what his majesty wanted.

In fact, many were more so in fear than they were happy.

King Kira let out a deep sigh as he walked slowly to one of the large glass windows shining the remaining light of day into the ballroom, dragging his felt cape in the process. He adjusted his embezzled golden crown, pushing his bangs out of sight and watched silently as the sun started to sink below the green hills in the distance and feeling a sense of calm. Yes, the King was satisfied with the way his kingdom was presently.

But was Light happy?

He could not shake off the feeling of derealisation, like he was not completely there in the moment. The same things would happen every single day, unchanging. Orders here, a barked order there. Sometimes he felt a bit of guilt knowing the way he associated with his guards, but immediately would shake it off and embrace the fact that he was King, and it was his duty as a King to essentially give the orders to keep the kingdom of his father's in order, and that is what kept him strong, what filled him with pride and accomplishment. So what if he was rude? So what if he enforced himself and was assertive? It shouldn't matter; _no one_ should question the King's manners in the first place.

But was_ Light_ happy?

The question always came back into his mind, and would slowly slink back into his subconscious until the next time it decided to resurface. Light Yagami…a name no one dared called him due to the informality in voice. It was always "your majesty" or "King Kira" or even "our savior." He did believe he was the citizens' savior, so why should he feel anything _but _happy? He has everything and everything he ever wanted; a castle, riches, followers, a whole kingdom for god sakes, and even is able to carry out his dream of a kingdom free from evil.

Still, there was something missing.

The King paced back and forth across the window, deep in thought. He did this every evening, along with devising his next plans for action to maintain order afterwards, thinking at least three steps ahead.

_Too bad, no one around here would ever discuss ideas with me. Hell, they hardly look at me, nor would they understand. They could never understand. All just a bunch of fools. _

He didn't notice the sun had already gone completely from the sky, and the moon instead shone in its place among bright stars. His majesty stared at the moon in wonder of what awaited him, if anything awaited him at all. Can't the moon tell him anything at all?

Unknowing to the King, the same man who denied his ways looked up into the same moon, wondering when his life would change as well.

_Well, nothing else to do but wait and see…_

_AN: Reviews? It would mean a lot to see what people think~_


	3. Chapter 3: Mornings

_Hey guys! Like I said, chapters should be getting longer (it always seems to come up short! It's very frustrating) and as always, I'm still nervous about this fanfiction! As you can see, I make reference to other characters in Death Note. Who knows? They may or may not come in to play later on. I will try my best, okay? Thank you! _

_~A_

* * *

Wild black hair glinted in the stream of sunlight peeking in through a window in the barn house, signifying morning. The young man, no more than twenty five, sat up lazily from a curled position on the dirt floor, yawning as he stood on his bare feet.

"Hmm…"  
After standing up and stretching his arm over his shoulder, he brushed the dirt off of his white button up long sleeve and adjusted the denim suspenders attached to his beige pants.

A fat rooster came waddling from one of the stalls in the barn, clucking as it passed over the man's foot without paying much attention to him. The animals here were used to him already. The rooster then made its daily loud crowing to make sure anyone nearby would know it was morning.

"Ryuzaki! Ryuzaki! You up yet?"

A young girl's voice sounded from outside the closed red barn doors.

The man named Ryuzaki glanced towards the direction of her voice. "Yes, I am up. You can come in if you would like."  
The barn opened with a creak and beyond appeared a child around ten, wearing a plaid red dress and white ribbons in her short black hair.

"Thank you for allowing me to stay again. To be honest, I wasn't sure where I was going to be sleeping last night. I owe you one, Maki."

"Ah, phooey! You've been here long enough to not have to thank me all the time, Ryuzaki. You're quiet enough so Daddy doesn't notice a thing. Anyways, it's fun having you here, it's like I run a hotel or something," Maki giggled. "Plus you're great talking to! You're a pretty smart guy, interesting, you know? I get bored around this stupid farm anyways."

"Same here. I guess you could say we are victims of boredom, wouldn't you agree?" Ryuzaki gave a warm smile and the girl laughed again.

Maki, the young daughter of a rude farmer, had been secretly allowing Ryuzaki to stay in her Dad's barn for almost three months after taking pity on him when she saw him shuffling through the village paths, looking a bit disoriented. Ryuzaki had hesitated at first, but eventually gave in when Maki gave him a butterscotch candy due to her simple act of kindness, seeing she was harmless. After all, she was only old enough to be in grade school. How could he turn down her offer?

Ryuzaki walked toward the barn doors passing Maki, hunching a bit and hands shoved into his pockets. "I'll be off then; I may or may not come back."

"Sure, Ryuu, sure." Maki smiled and already knew he would be back later on that day. He always said that last thing, pretending to not depend on the little girl. "Your bread is in the bag already, if you're wondering. See you 'round."

Maki watched as the man picked up and threw his brown sack over his shoulder left outside of the barn doors, made a quick right and disappeared around the corner of the barn house.

* * *

"Ah, sir! It is time to awaken." A woman with short black hair and an old fashioned maid outfit wheeled into King Kira's master bedroom with a platinum cart, only carrying an alcoholic beverage and a small shot glass.

"…Hmph, already?"

Tangled chestnut hair rummaged about in satin red blankets, and his eyes opened hazily as he glanced towards the entrance to his domain.

"Would you like me to read out your schedule for today, sir?"

The house maid asked this as she poured _Washington Apple _into the small shot glass. The King had the routine of taking a shot of the drink in the morning, saying it "freshened him up for anything."

"Ah…yes, but first, what is for breakfast today?" His majesty sat up in his king bed, wearing a loose white robe. He reached for the shot glass as his maid gestured it towards him.

"According to my coworker, we have apple wood bacon, deviled eggs, roasted ham with pineapple on the side, and barley toast with margarine. As for drinks, we have whole milk, green tea, or _Caffé Tobio, _as usual."

"Hm, alright then." The man downed his shot in a single gulp, and a satisfied breath sounded as he wiped his mouth.

"Allow me to read your schedule now, your majesty. Today should be a light one; you have a meeting with the banker to discuss the money investments at twelve noon, a talk with the chefs in charge of the refreshments at the Grande ball your hosting coming up soon at two, and oh yes- you start the trials today at six for the position of _royal jester._"

"Royal jester…how many do you suppose will arrive to audition?"

"I cannot tell you exactly, however I can say there should be a considerable amount, since many are willing to take the role to earn money for their families."

"_Tch_." The King scoffed under his breath and set the shot glass back on the silver cart to the side of his bed. _Fools, willing to do anything, even humiliate themselves and give up their dignity to me, just for some extra cash. _

"…Should I bring in the meal for you now, your majesty?" The maid brushed a bit of hair behind her ear slightly unnerved in the brief silence.

"Yes, now please."

"Right away, sir." She began to push the cart out of the large bedroom.

"Oh, and Kiyomi?"

"Yes?" The house maid turned her head towards the King.

"Leave the bottle and glass here."

* * *

_AN:_ _Yes, Light might have a problem with alcohol, if that is what you're thinking. But other than that, I admittedly am not sure where I am going with this, but I am hoping for the best! Please review, I really would like to hear your opinions! _


	4. Chapter 4: Future

_AN: Hello again! I'm sorry I haven't uploaded a new chapter in almost two months now, I've been busy recently with so many exams and it's just crazy! Once I'm off for good, I'll probably be able to upload faster, but it's not for certain. I am just warning you I will probably say 'I'm sorry' about two hundred times within the end of this story. I am, and probably will still, be nervous with every small chapter I upload due to the fact of my inexperience other than learning from others and learning better diction from AP English. I hope you enjoy this small chapter in the meantime! If you read this I thank you so much, it really means a lot!_

_~A_

* * *

_"What the hell was that?"_

The King yelled as he and one of his servants entered the kitchen area. His majesty was angry, and above all else, disappointed.

"S-Sir, there are still two more days left to find a person to be your roya-"

"Don't you understand? I've seen enough already! Every single damn peasant who came in to my hall made absolute fools of themselves, and _not_ in the good way at all." He raised a hand up to the annoyed expression on his face and pinched the bridge of his nose.

The day started off seemingly bright; his meetings had gone well and were brief, but once the sun began to set and the auditions began six o'clock sharp, things only tumbled downhill for his majesty. One after the other, peasant men and women stepped into the large hall before the King's throne and attempted to impress him by any means necessary. Some tried performing magic tricks, which bored his majesty due to his knowledge of the "trick" itself, and one even swallowed fire, however, it resulted in the man nearly choking to death and he had to be escorted out immediately before causing an further damage. Others took a more personal approach, attempting to tell jokes and a couple of women even danced or tried to be seductive to win the heart of his majesty. However, the same unimpressed expression remained on his face, and soon hours had gone by without a single one succeeding in cracking any expression of joy whatsoever. Finally, after about four horrid hours and almost a hundred acts, it was over.

Tired and upset, his majesty went on.

"…I don't believe I want to do this again. It was incredibly boring. Everyone would try to do the same show over and over again; the foolish acts were not entertaining at all, no one tried to attempt anything new. None of them were worth paying even a shilling of my wealth to."

"Your majesty, if I may inquire…" The servant wiped his brow briefly, nervous to argue with his king on the matter. "I urge you to give it one more day, at least. We can cut the third day from the schedule and instead make tomorrow the last day to audition…o-of course, but if you don't want to-!"

The King pondered the idea for a moment, pacing the floor and tapping the stove top. _Hm,_ _I suppose it wouldn't do much more damage than already established anyways. _Coming to a silent agreement with himself, the King crossed his arms and looked back towards his servant. "No, it's fine, Matsuda. Perhaps another day. But _only_ one more day, I don't think I can handle so much absurdity in one week."

"Yes sir! I will arrange it as soon as possible!"

With that, the aloof servant almost skipped out of the kitchen, leaving the King to finally go back up to his bedroom to perhaps read and then retire for the evening.

* * *

Ryuzaki found himself kicking the dirt along a pathway nearby the village, in search of a place to make his residence in as to not depend on the little girl he came to know as Maki for a home any longer. The breeze was gentle today, thankfully. His face softened slightly and emitted a sigh, partly due to being alone again, and as he walked on he found himself gazing up into the blue sky instead of watching where he was going. _Days like these shouldn't be wasted, I suppose. _Even as he relaxed in a bit of a stroll, his mind continuously ran like pending machine in the background.

There were countless ideas, discussions, and topics Ryuzaki carried with him at all times, waiting to be released when the time was right, but with this came a consequence; what person would listen to his ramblings if he chose to voice them? His conscious played a large role as well, as he constantly worried about the future that lay ahead.

A job was important and constantly on his mind as well. Simple tasks of everyday life became struggles for him, and with the unbearable summer heat around the corner Ryuzaki knew he had to earn money somehow. However, the man was not one for farming nor any other types of physical labor; a problem in itself for a peasant. Most of these jobs were already occupied anyways.

_Something with satisfaction. Fulfillment, possibly. Where can I obtain a job as such? _

Instead of thinking further on the matter, once again his brain shifted and thoughts began to flow in his mind like a rising sea as he began to ponder the moralities of the dictatorship occurring in his village once again. Although only witnessing the King on few occasions, when his majesty would trot down the paths in the heart of the village known as Bathum every once in awhile, he received an insidious vibe surrounding him. Yes, the King was a charming one, to say the least. Even Ryuzaki himself could not deny such. But, he recalled a time when the King's honey eyes turned darkly, with an almost hidden evil lurking in his pupils. The way, when a citizen had called out to his ways of control negatively, he had played along and smiled convincingly. But Ryuzaki could see the flash in his eyes, one of pure hatred.

One of a power-hungry individual.

Ryuzaki shivered, convincing himself it was the breeze which caused it. What could that man possibly be hiding? He longed for the King to step down from the position, to stop intimidating and fooling everyone in the village. He saw how his 'majesty' took advantage of the fear, how he held it in his cradling hands only to squish it hard in his grasp, resulting in deaths and more hush of the citizens. But above all else, Ryuzaki wanted knowledge. How could someone possibly murder people in such a short time span, even with his knights and guards? It didn't make sense. It gave Ryuzaki purpose; to find out what the King is hiding. Although he would never admit it out loud, he was secretly excited to be able to have something to contemplate, like a puzzle he was sure no one else knew the method to.

And so the strange man in the white long sleeve and suspenders smirked to himself as he approached closer to the village, beginning to bite on the tip of a slender finger.

* * *

_AN: Reviews make the world go 'round~ Thanks!_


	5. Chapter 5: Opportunities

_AN: Hello again! Finally school is over! I can just take it mostly easy now. But anyways, this chapter is more development and finally moving on to where L (or Ryuzaki, in this fanfiction) meets Light (the cocky King Kira) probably by the next chapter. Yay! Of course, old news, I'm still nervous. Extremely. I'll probably get a heart attack in the middle of this fic from nerves. Sigh. Hope all goes well, I'm crossing my fingers until it hurts. Thank you so much if you read this! I hope you're okay with this update!_

_~A_

* * *

The bustling large village of Darbun neared closer as Ryuzaki continued his way down from the now distant farmhouse which lay uphill about a mile or so away from the core of the village. As the villagers' rugged faces, usually hidden underneath cloth hung over their heads like capes, came into perceivable sight, Ryuzaki noticed the mix of excitement and nervousness floating about in the atmosphere in what was a mostly melancholic and cold environment. It was…unusual for the town.

Avoiding making unnecessary contact with a villager to ask what the hullabaloo was about, the introvert scuffled along the pathway, passing by and observing the dark homes which littered the village for the umpteenth time since living in the area. Unthrifty and dry grass surrounded each home, acting as a weak shield in which reminded Ryuzaki of the false sense of individuality that lay within each of the villagers, when in reality it was almost non-existent, especially apprehended by the dictatorship occurring under King Kira's rule.

Ryuzaki was frustrated. It seemed no matter where he was, he could never get the damn ideas from running in his head again; how he'll somehow, someway, stop the King from ruling so cruelly false. However, trusting his intelligence, he knew it was highly unlikely he would be able to come close enough to the King to ever do anything about it. He wanted to forget, to throw away the buzzing annoyance of the idea, as he could not do anything about it. It was quite a disappointment.

Or so he thought.

Ryuzaki stopped to notice a man, somewhere in his mid thirties, lifting heavy brown sacks of what appeared to be trader goods in front of a merchant shop well known in town. He seemed to be struggling and worn out, as there were already many other sacks thrown onto a creaky wagon to be carted away presumably after the job was were still plenty of sacks to be rid of along the side of the , it seemed none of the passerby took any notice of the struggle.

_A job perhaps? _

"Excuse me sir."

Ryuzaki blandly approached the man as he had just lugged another sack onto the wagon.

"Hmm?" The male looked at Ryuzaki, pushing back sweaty strands of wavy dark blonde hair out of his sight.

"Would you like assistance-" Ryuzaki patted the sacks on the wagon as he spoke-" with these? I noticed you had quite the load to carry on your own." He stared at the man in an almost wishful manner.

"Uh, yeah. Sure kid," _Kid? _"I could use an extra pair of hands, especially on a day like this, Jesus Christ…"

The man looked up towards the bright sky with squinted eyes, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand in the process.

"Name's Aiber. Nice to meet you, uh…" Aiber reached out a hand. Ryuzaki only stared at his outstretched hand questionably until it was decided not important.

"You can call me Ryuzaki."

"Alright…Ryuzaki. Let's get going, then."

The work was hefty.

Ryuzaki was admittedly winded by the time the sacks had all been thrown into the wagon. Not exactly the work he had in mind, however it was necessary for a chance to earn a steady job. It was all focused on labor, labor, labor, and- more labor. Ryuzaki disliked it. Plenty. But it wasn't like he was going to complain when he had offered.

"Well that was pretty darn vigorous, would've been more difficult if it weren't for your help. Thanks, kid!" Aiber was out of breath and took out a small towel from inside the large pocket of his black trews, patting his head dry of sweat.

Finally as Ryuzaki caught his own breath, he decided to ask.

"Do you need extra help around here often? If you would like, I could assist…?"

Aiber knew what the man was implying.

"Ah, wondering if there was work for you here, huh? Sorry Ryuzaki, my wife Wedy's out of town to sell our spices at a fair not far from here today; normally she's the one who helps me around here. I'd probably get my ass kicked if she knew I hired a random man without consulting her first. "

_Let down once again._

"But I really appreciated your help. Come back anytime, kid. I may not hire you just yet, but you're more than welcome in the shop from now on, plus-" Aiber lowered his voice down to an almost whisper- "I might be able to get you a discount of some sort next time."

"Thank you, Aiber. I'll be on my way now."

Ryuzaki turned and began walking away to search once again for a job opportunity.

Aiber yelled out to him as he left.

"Alright. See you 'round, Ryuzaki!"

_Hm, didn't seem much interested in the shop after I mentioned he couldn't have a job. I have the feeling I'll definitely see that kid again though._

"Oh! Excuse me…"

Another villager, in a bit of a hurry, bumped into Ryuzaki as he walked.

Normally, he wouldn't give it much thought, however this was the third time someone had bumped into him today. What is everyone such in a hurry about?

"Ah, sorry…"

The man felt a bump on his shoulder as a female passed by him from behind. Of course, she too, appeared to be in a hurry.

Ryuzaki was tired of wondering.

"Ma'am!"

The woman stopped to turn and look at Ryuzaki, her hand lifting to her face to block the sun's rays.

"I would like to know why many are in such a hurry today." He spoke firmly but as kindly as he could manage.

"Oh! Ya poor thing…" She gave a small smile and came closer to Ryuzaki.

"Haven't ya heard? Today's the last day the King is holdin' trials for Royal Jester! Everyone's tryin' their best to get in good with his majesty; says he'll pay top gold for the one he chooses!" The woman had a thick Scottish accent; clearly a traveler.

She patted a basket that she held in her hand, down by her long dark blue skirt.

"I'm hopin' I can woe his majesty with the best bread he'll ever have. Surely I can bake to please!"

"The position of Royal Jester…where can I audition for it?" Ryuzaki was very interested now, and he leaned in uncomfortably close to the woman's face. She backed away slightly.

"Uh…well if ya want…" She pointed to the castle about a fifteen minute walk away, slightly uphill and leering over the village homes which stood closer to its front. Ryuzaki noted the long line of people who strung leading from the front entrance and over the bridge. "The line is over yonder. Shouldn't take ya long to get there. I'm headin' there right now, in fact. Let the best man win!"

The woman turned and walked in a hurried fashion down the path in which lead straight all the way to the castle.

_Interesting. Very interesting._

It was the opportunity he had been waiting for all along. It was perfect; he could not only earn money, wanting to use it for both himself and for Maki back at the farm, but he could get close to his majesty easily in the position. Stunningly perfect.

Ryuzaki, knowing now his goal, followed the same path the woman had walked down not five minutes ago. Determination filled his mind and he picked up his pace even more so in the intense heat of midday.

He was going to win no matter what happened.

* * *

_AN: I hope this was okay for now! I dislike how this came up short again...I really need to get an editor soon to help me! Thanks for reading this, it means a lot! (And friendly reminder, the review box is always open!) _


	6. Chapter 6: Nostalgia

_AN: ***Please read***_

_Hello again! I apologize for taking almost two months now to post a new chapter. I won't explain in much detail, but I will say I was occupied for most of the summer. However here's a new chapter! To make up for the delay, I wrote more than usual, and I'm hoping to keep writing this much, if not longer. Anyways, yes, there is a character death in this chapter. But despite this I guarantee it will NOT be L or Light in future chapters. I promise you that much (I personally am distraught when I read a fanfiction and a major character death happens). Plus, I said I would have L and Light meet in this chapter, however I felt it was important and relevant to the plot to dig further into Light before jumping too fast to the main love interests. It will make sense later, I hope. But also important: I may delay future chapters, as I am beginning school again. But I am going to try my best! Don't fret! _

_That's all, I sincerly hope you like this!_

_~A_

* * *

"Fifteen minutes, sir! Fifteen minutes 'till the trials begin again!"

A servant knocked politely on the king's master bedroom door, calling out in order to alert his majesty on the time before a stream of possible jesters flooded into his main hall.

The King, fumbling with a button on his lincoln scarlet coat, turned his head toward the sound.

"I'll be down soon enough."

His eyes led back to his button for another quick second to ensure it was secure before straightening out his clothing, finally checking his reflection in the grand mirror which stood in front of his exorbitant bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, fixing it to maintain a proper appearance before standing in front of citizens under his ruling. Appearances were of utmost importance, and no one other than the King himself knew how true this was.

Near the mirror was a mahogany dresser, imported and personally customized to the King's liking. On the flat top of its surface, there were word carvings from the citizens to their King, saying,

"_Onto his majesty, we lay upon our trust and our essence."_

Underneath the saying were the sole initials of King Kira's true name: _L. Y. _

"Alright, then…" he muttered to himself as he picked up his golden crown off the dresser's top and placing it slowly over his head.

A horrendous chuckling suddenly sounded in the back of the room.

The King did not even have to spin around to know who it was.

"Ryuk, where have you been the past week?"

He was not concerned, he was simply curious as to what a shinigami would do around the area.

"Heh, eating the apples off of that one commoner's cart….what was his name….Eddie? Eh, doesn't matter. He got really mad when he saw they were missing and accused the merchant across the road. Ha!"

Ryuk laughed more.

"So you're telling me I killed off that merchant for stealing when you were the one who took his produce? Well then…"

Light acted like he was genuinely upset by the fact that he got rid of an innocent man. However in his mind, he was able to convince himself it was for the best. Somehow. Truth is he couldn't care less, and neither could Ryuk. It was one man, after all.

"So anyways, why are you here right now? I'm a bit busy preparing for the trials at the moment," Light turned to face the leering shinigami in the corner of the room with a slightly annoyed expression.

"Tch, okay princess, just thought I'd stop by to let you know it's been exactly three years since you picked up the death note. Thought it was interesting enough to share."

"Really? Three years, huh…that is pretty interesting. Time sure does fly nowadays." Light rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Yeah, well maybe in your lifetime, heh heh." Ryuk gave a short chuckle. "I'll be watching the trials today, seems like entertainment at its finest around here."

"Ryuk, could you do me a favor and tell me how long the line is to audition today?" Light asked.

"Hm, sure. Whatever."

With that, Ryuk flapped his jagged raven-like wings and disappeared through the top corner of the wall.

Within about a minute, Ryuk appeared again in the master bedroom.

"Sheesh, pretty long line if you ask me. It leads across the bridge."

"Damn…" Light sighed to himself and shook his head softly.

"Well…I guess I'll see you down there."

Once again, Ryuk simply walked through the door to the King's bedroom to downstairs and vanished.

As soon as Ryuk left, Light took another couple minutes to himself solely.

Taking a small silver key in which was hung around his neck in a golden lace, hidden underneath his clothing, he knelt by his dresser, feeling the side of it. Once he felt a hole, he pushed the key into a lock that was embedded into the wood, turning it until…

_Click._

From there, he was able to pull out a drawer only used to place the one item Light could never allow anyone else to ever see or touch:

The death note.

_-Three years ago-_

_Light Yagami, age 17. _

_Soichiro Yagami, father of Light and King of large villages Darbun and Galtan, along with several other smaller areas. Wife and Queen Sachiko is deceased due to illness. _

"Dad, I'll be going out now."

"Where are you off to this time? You better not be late again for supper tonight."

Soichiro called after his son as he stood in the dining hall, overlooking his servants preparing the long table for supper soon.

Light held the door open to the dining hall.

"Just taking a walk, I'll be back soon enough." He began to walk out.

"Do bring Mikami with you! You know you can't just walk around without a guard with you." Soichiro said this and gestured toward a sophisticated looking man off to the side. Seeing he was needed, the guard hurried to catch up with Light, who was now across the main hall in the front of the castle.

Two more hefty appearing guards, standing on either side of the entrance to the castle, simultaneously opened both of the large doors for the young prince and his guard.

A slight gust of crisp spring air fluttered in through the now open entrance and ruffled Light's deep amber hair. The prince dug inside the front of his silk navy flannel for a moment before pulling out plain cap and pushing it over his hair to cover both his head and part of his face. One of the guards picked up a small lantern sitting on the floor nearby the doors, waiting to be used, and lit it with a small match from his pocket before handing it to his majesty.

"Namikawa…Mido…" Light acknowledged both men before taking the lantern and setting foot outside into the spring night.

"Pardon me for asking, your majesty, but why didn't you want to ride on your steed? "

Mikami questioned the prince, glancing at his clothing in the dim light of the lantern as his clothes were not of the flashiest royal quality either. _He didn't even put his tunic on to symbolize his royalty…_

The prince and his guard were strolling on the outskirts of Darbun, away from the inner villages and people. It was quiet and sounds of crickets and cicadas could be heard at a steady rhythmic pace. The tall weeds could be heard rustling with the breeze, and the prince took a minute to respond back. He turned to Mikami.

"Mikami, we are already away from the castle. There's no need to be so formal now. We are familiar, are we not?" He let out a chuckle and soon after heard the other laugh along with him.

"Yes, of course. Being in the castle for so long and having to act formal for most of the time sure does take a toll. How have you been, Light?"

"Fine, fine. You know my father and how he runs things. Everything is at pace. And you?"

"Oh, it's grand as well. Busy and bustling as always, but I don't mind for the Yagami royal family. Your father is quite the man. Finest king I ever had the honor of serving, if I do say so myself." Mikami gave a small smile. Light smiled quickly back at him before looking up towards the night sky.

"I suppose so."

Light and Mikami continued to pace along the dirt, keeping silent for most of the remaining time they were out. Light, wanting to experience total darkness, brought the lantern in his hand to his face, pursing his lips before blowing out the small flame of it. Smoke rose almost mystically from the lantern through the air. Although confused, Mikami decided it was best not to say anything as Light stopped and stood facing the empty field to their left, which lead into the forest.

Light could always count on the night to bring him comfort, as it always brought on new thoughts and feelings inside him. He loved trying to count the stars and run impossible ideas (what if there was a way to magnify the night sky?) through his mind. The calm and cool environment was his favorite; its dark and mysterious mood kept him on his toes, however he enjoyed the feeling. The attraction between the dark night and Light was somewhat of an enigma itself, and only Light could understand its beauty while others feared it, not understanding the wonders which lay constricted within its cold blanket.

"I believe it's time to be heading back to your father, Light. Supper should be just about ready." Mikami said, breaking the calmness. He couldn't wait to get back and get his share of the delicious roasted pig the cook had made this time.

"…Ah, sure. Supper."

Light lingered at the field's edge for another moment before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a candle box in order to re-light the lantern.

The two had walked back up the road again for another fifteen minutes before passing shrubs surrounding the sides of the main doors to the castle. Mikami was about to knock when suddenly rustling could be heard from a shrub to the left underneath a large window. On guard, he pushed Light behind his back away from the shrub and placed a hand on a belt which kept his blade in a fluid, trained manner.

"Who goes there?"

Light was hardly concerned, convincing himself it was a small animal and not a threat. But then a voice came crackling from the shrub, sounding erratic and deranged. A man's head popped out from the brush to go along with the voice.

"H-he deserved it! He took my land from me!"

The rugged looking peasant rose from the bushes, dropping a black object off to the side so casually and quietly that, within the darkness, it could have been missed.

But Light had seen it.

"What is your business here? You realize trespassing on royal grounds is punishable by death!"

Mikami raised his voice and upon seeing the man's suspicious appearance, drew his blade in warning.

"I have to take you in!"

The man only stood there, shaken up and distraught written on his face. His eyes were bugged and darted from the guard to the prince. Suddenly, as if hearing horrible news, the man looked off to his upper right in horror and began to scream.

"No! It's not my time yet! Don't! Don't I beg you, don't write my name down!"

As if on cue, several guards came running through the castle door behind Mikami and Light.

"Sir! Sir!" One of the guards yelled to the prince in despair.

"The majesty, your father, he's-!"

In the confusion and with the focus off of the strange man, he bolted out of the shrub and made a run for the bridge to escape.

"Wait, get him! Kill him!"

The guards ran after the man, including Mikami himself.

Light, now left alone, dodged the guards running past him and ran into the castle with rising anxiety. _His father, what happened?_

Running across the hall, he heard a commotion in the dining room. Busting in through the door, he saw a group of maids and servants huddled around the limp body of no one but his father. _Is he…?_

Light felt his heart thud in his chest painfully.

He rushed to his father's side, shoving away one of the servants in the process. He held his father's hand as a maid supported the King's head.

Sweat began to trickle down the side of Light's forehead. Seeing his father like this…it was impossible. _What happened?_

"What happened?!"

Light shouted aloud at the faces in which surrounded him and his lifeless father.

A frightened maid spoke up in a shaky tone of voice.

"H-he just collapsed suddenly…we were setting supper down on t-the table and he just clutched his chest…I don't understand it…"

"A heart attack you mean? You're saying a _heart attack_ did this to him? _A heart attack?" _

Light could feel the anger welling up in his throat, threatening to choke his voice. How could his father be reduced to this? Kings were supposed to die of old age, or in an honorable battle. Not reduced to a sudden heart attack, of all the things. The man outside…he said someone deserved it, that someone took his land from him. _His father?_

"I don't know I swear!" The maid looked distressed and once the tears began to roll down her face, she picked up her dress and excused herself from the room in a hurried fashion.

In the time after his father's sudden death, Light held onto him that day, lingering there for hours. Even when it was time to begin putting him to rest, he delayed it in order to stay there for some time more. He forced everyone to leave the hall for him to be alone with his father, and once he was alone, he wept into his father's shoulder, shivering and feeling the loneliest he had ever felt before. His father was the one who gave him advice, who gave him wisdom and insight, and without him, he had no one to hear it from anymore. First his mom, dying of a simple disease and now his father of a quick heart attack. It was unfair and cruel of fate.

And it was in that moment, Light began to think of how truly rotten the world was.

Finally, after a long night without sleep, Light allowed his father to be taken away. Following his father's body out the main hall doors to the outside where the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon, he stopped and watched as the guards on either side of the sleek coffin carried his father across the bridge. He sniffled and rubbed his eyes with his sleeves hard enough to blotch them red. His stomach growled and groaned, reminding Light of the supper his father urged him to not be late for.

And then he remembered.

Quickly glancing to the side where the man had dropped something in the shrub, he set foot inside it, branches and leaves cracking and scratching his legs. It wasn't hard to find the item just dropped last night by the wretched man. Picking it up in his hand, he realized it was a sleek leather black notebook.

_A notebook?_

Turning it over on the other side, there were apparent words now, entitled _Death Note_ in obscure white print.

_A notebook…of death? _

It didn't comprehend in his mind properly.

"Your majesty," A voice came from the doorway behind him. "I've confirmation that the man seen there yesterday night is indeed dead. You can rest easier, now."

_Tch, rest easier. _

Light only turned to the guard and nodded before glancing back to the notebook in his hands.

Hearing the doors shut behind him, he decided to open the notebook. There appeared to be a list of rules of some sort.

_How to Use it: The human whose name is written in this note shall die…"_

-_Current time_-

Light, upon looking at the name _Soichiro Yagami_ handwritten shakily and solely in the first page of the death note never failed to bring him anger. The man that day had written his own father's name in it., and even more infuriating, it was a power given to such a useless man, a weak man, a commoner. A person like that should not have had the ability granted to them in the first place. He deserved his death.

From that day on, Light took on the name "Kira," in order to keep his name private and only known with a select number of people in his castle. All possible outsiders who knew of his true name were ordered to be imprisoned or even killed by the new King himself. He didn't care.

All he knew for sure was that he needed to be the one to get rid of untrustworthy and unjust individuals around his vast kingdom, to head in the direction of a bright and righteous future. And, perhaps one day, the world would follow after.

Taking out a small separate list of names of unjust people gathered and given to him by one of his scribes from the inside of his notebook, he began to copy them down on the death paper. The names were recognized with faces, as the King took frequent trips down his kingdom, especially Darbun, the vast main village, and was able to remember their faces with help from captions by their names.

_Koshida Torren – merchant who owns small business nearby the forest's edge, accused of stealing several items from other merchants. _

_Junjo Otaharada – beggar boy outside of the church, seen attacking several peasants for food and currency._

_Lana Terry…_

Done…and done. It was simple enough. It was only a small list, about six names anyways. It was more difficult in the beginning when there was no harsh rule as there was now, but at the current point, Light had the upper hand, and people were afraid to break the rules more than ever.

Good.

"Sir! Three minutes!"

A voice came from outside of his door again.

The King tucked the list back into the spine of his death note again, and placed it gently into the drawer before closing it and locking it in place. He pat it to further ensure it was safe.

"Well, let's see what the cats drag in today…"

* * *

_AN: Thanks for reading this chapter! It means a lot to me. I personally can't wait to write L and Light's first meeting, which will definitely be next chapter (woohoo!) Did I ever tell you how much I love the Lawlight (LxLight, LightxL) pairing? Of course, if I'm writing this it should be apparent *chuckles*. Anyways, feel free to leave a review for me to read, and thanks once again! _


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